Lilienstern has only been at Greenhill for three months as a US history teacher.
Freshman Lylah Pouratian says Lilienstern is an advocate for her students.
“Ms. Lilienstern is very organized, and she prioritizes student’s needs,” Pouratian said.
Lilienstern’s interest in a teaching career was inspired by her own high school teachers.
“I was one of those people who knew early on that [teaching] is what I wanted to do,” she said.
With a clear understanding of what she wanted to do, Lilienstern attended the University of Virginia where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in History. Then, she attended the University of Illinois where she got her Master of Arts in History, and finally at Rice University, she received her Master of Liberal Studies.
After graduating and obtaining her desired degrees, Lilienstern taught various subjects at various schools, while also spending some time as a college counselor.
“She has a wealth of experience teaching all sorts of history classes,” US History Department Chair Amy Bresie ’96 said.
While teaching at other independent schools, Lilienstern says she heard many things about the supportive Greenhill community and the curiosity of the students.
This motivated her to look for job opportunities to experience the community for herself.
Ever since her first day on campus in August, she says she felt embraced and welcomed by the Greenhill community.
“I like the fact that [Greenhill] is inclusive. It was looking to bring together different families, different students, different faculty and to really be caring and supportive,” she said.
Lilienstern has many goals for the upcoming school year – one of them being to figure out the ways in which her students learn. She says her teaching style is “innovative and creative,” incorporating activities such as gallery walks, guided notes and circle debates.
According to Lilienstern, making connections with her students is also an objective for the school year.
“My goal is to get to know [my students] and to be there for them if they’re having a tough time,” she said.
